s-e y^ 



^^-n^ 



•^^0^ 
., .^o^ 






J-^-^K 







t^ A^ ♦'^Va" ^-^^ .<^^ »'?§«&»'. "^,4. A^ ^^V/k'o -^^^ c-^* » 


















r>> . " • ^ *>> 



va *;t:t«' a 






:. "^ .4 






' k.^ 



>*iq* 










v^* 









^Pvl 



■^v -^ oH 












^^•^*. 




- ^^ -^^ ^^yi^,* J'^^'\ ^^iP'/ -J^^ 









'b V* :) 






*bV^ 







. -^^ A^ ' /^Va'-. "^^-^ ^•^*' - 



!^^i:.L:*^> 












^I> < K ♦ «\ WOT Ai <* <>* *• V ♦ 'v\JBk/v • ^1^ 

■ '7.1* .<^ %> ♦^frf' A <, 'f.T- ,0* %, *7^*^ y\ <^ '7.1* .(^ 



V-^^ *S^J«W2° "IP's ".^CrS^'' ''"^ 







:«•. "^^^ .-.-v* ♦*^s^'. -e*. A^ *>Va- '^<>. ^^^ »*^SH©i'. 'e^ A« »'. 












.* ^ ^v -^ . -.y^^NK.: ,/\;--^^\/%^ -wr/ .>^^ "\ --^^pi^.* . -^^ 






o 'vTVi' A 



o > 



.^" .♦ 



>°-n*.. • 











.' -^^.^ 



*Pv-^. •. 


























'. -^ 



^C«>9^ 






(,v ^^. *'T.T»'.A <» ''^•'^''\^&'^ "^^. *'v7r* <v V •"•'• ^'^ 










^^-^K. 







.^^ A 



'.' .^*^°-. -»^'^^^* .^°-^*^ \ 














q,. *'. 


















,*" ^ 4.'^"'^^ . °-W^** .^^"^^"^ '--^K*" . '^^^'"'^^ '-y^^^.* ,.,^"' "V •-!>ai5?»* . '^'' 







.' A^^ 



'^°o >^\.-:^/V /.'j^v% o-^*\o^',V /.'.^.•^-o >*\c^ 



xPVj. 



' 'p. 4 o*- 



.^i" .*! 



«4q. 



sP-V^. 



„4q* 



*b v" ;< 






^S0^, 



v^ 












': a^'-V, 






V .o^'.^;^,A .-^^'.c^^L^^, /.'J<;^^'\ u**\c:^,\, /.'^ 









^"•^<^. 



'.• A° 



*bv* 



-^U-n-* o'. 



Pv>^. •• 



r: A q* 






The Spirit of the 

AMERICAN RED CROSS 

A Chapter from the Autobiography of 




NATHANIRL CARTER DEANE 
ISfH 



Copyright 1918 






APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM! 

Love of Country — My Country — Always My Country! 
I Bow to My Country's Defenders! 



Rise! Stand! Uncover! Uncover! Open up my eyes! let me look ii|) to the everlasting skies! , 

I love my country! My country! Always my country! 
I bow to my country's defenders, the men who stand by our colois, the red. white and blue! P^orever! my country! 
My country's defenders! the men who meet duty and danger p. cparo and defend! Who do duty for nie! and do duty for you. 
Ever remember, for it might be me and it might bo you if we had the same duty to do. 
And it makes no difference between me and you; I will doferd my country! and so must ynu. 

Rise! Stand! Uncover! Uncover! Open up our eyes! let us look up to thf everlasting skies! 

Love of country! My country! Always my country! 
We bow to my country's defenders, the men who stand by o ir colors (he red, white and blue! Forever! my country! 
Rise! Stand! Uncover and give to God old glory, glory, glory. Rise! Stand! Uncover and give to God old glory, glory, glory. 
Rise! Stand! Uncover! Open up our eyes and let us look up to the everlasting skies and give to God the glory, glory, glory. 
And it makes no difference between me and you; I will defend my country! and so must you. 

Rise! Stand! Uncover! Uncover! Open up my eyes; let me look up to the everlasting skies! 

I love my country! My country! Always my country! 
I bow to my country's defenders, the men who stand by our colors, the red, white and blue! Forever! my country! 
My country's defenders, the men who meet misfoitune and many a haidship, who do duty for me! and do duty for you. 
Ever remember, for it might be me and it might be you if we had the same duty to do. 
And it makes no difference between me and you; 1 will defe-d i. y muntry! and so must you. 

Rise! Stand! Uncover! Uncover! Open up our eyes! let us look up to the everlasting slcios. 

Love of country! My country! Always my country! 
We bow to our country's defenders, the men who stand by our colors, the red, white and blue! Forever! my country! 
Rise! Stand! Uncover and give to God old glory, glory, glory. Rise! Stand! Uncover and give to God old glory, glory, glory. 
Rise! Stand! Uncover! Open up our eyes and let us look up to the everlasting skies and give to God the glory, glory, glory. 
And it makes no difference between me and you; I will def' r.d n y country! and so must you. 



N.VTHANIEL CARTER DEANE. 



-9 iSIS 



'•v^D 



/ 



THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS 
I (Imaginary ti-uth) 

And my God speaks unto me by his big red rising morning and the evening setting sun, 
shining thru a veil of red upon the sufferings of the World, when by his silence yet he speaks 
by this sign of the Blood Red Cross, We shall conquer ; that when my call is made and I stand 
waiting at the death's vale, and give my name ; then when my mind is filled with Death's Fear, 
standing up there at the Midwav, when all seems dull and dark and drear, lookmg up as I 
start to climb— There I will pause and re-hear the moans of the suffering of the World and re- 
see the scene of the unfortunate in their agonies of Death. Hell, Dying Man. 

The bright light of high noon day speaks out clear to me from out the heavens — the 
Master light— to follow up 'till I reach yp there ; 

Then the change will come to me, as the folds of my heaven's veils will open out, and 
wide and clear — then I look within : 

How bewildered I am, as I stare, and start to enter in, 
Full of fear, my high soul's day; the best that's in me comes to me. 
Have I been Charitable to my suffering man ? 

Have I bound up the wounds of the afflicted and cared for the sick ? 
Have I fed the hungry ? Have I belonged to a church and have I worked under the 
AMERICAN RED CROSS? 

There— standing near : in the bright light— I will see a sainted Keeper at the vales : He 
will come to me ; then I will tell him my name and that I belong to the American Red Cross, 
the best that's in me. I pray, the bad I have tried to do away. Then he will kindly smile and 
greet me and bid me welcome and take me by the hand and lead me in and seat me near the 
Throne to meet my Saviour and the Red Cross Nurses, Miss Carra Cutter and Miss Clara 
Barton and many others, all I'll know, dressed in white, and with whitc-dressed brothers all 
about and with the Blood Red Cross of my Saviour upon their Crowns. 

Then I hear them tell me and with a smile, "Make yourself at home ; No religious for- 
malities, for we all belong to the same Church here." 

Miss Cutter and Miss Barton, we were comrades together in the days of the War. May 
I speak to you, for I feel fear? 

Comrade, you will lose your fear and learn as time goes on, for this is only just inside 
of the vale I have been here six of old earth's years, but this is just a moment ot 
heaven's own time. And I have gone no further. Our Saviour he is near, for as yet we are 
before the light, — God's house is far beyond. 

Comrade, Miss Barton, gone no further? Do you tell me if this is only the commence- 
ment, — and where is the end? 

Comrade, all life tends towards death and there is no end For the good live agmn and 
keep on going as their perfections entitle them to go. Look ahead; Distance: All eteinity. 
Space and with the Light of Everlasting Life before you. 

Comrade Miss Barton, how far back can we sec our own old world and its people; and 
see the inhuman warfare, and with the epidemics, and the sufferings and crimes ot man .' 

Comrade, from the day the world began, millions of years, (f»™y .our Bible says 5918, 
the age) but let us look b;ick no further than our Anno Domini, our Saviour s birth, and le- 
v?ew His life and His sufferings by crucifixion on the Cross; see '"«, «^ .^^^f ^f '.rms and 
with the nails driven thru His hands; see His legs and with the nails diiven th' " "f //^J ' 
See the spear wounds in His side; see the crown of thorns upon His ^^'^^ = .^"d, "V ^f P^^^^^ ^Z^ 
use the RED CROSS of our Saviour's crucifixion upon our crowns, and give the sign of the 
Cross as a recognition. 



Comrade Miss Barton, here I see the Blood Red Cross we worship by, 

And by this Sign, 'twixt my God and me through eternity, 

Through the Blood Red Cross of our Saviour, through Him we see our Charity 

My Faith, My Heaven's high hope, through my Christianity. 

Miss Carra Cutter, Daughter of Regimental Surgeon Calvin Cutter, and daughter of 
the 21st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, from July 19th, 1861, to March 24th, 1862. 
Died at Newbern, N. C. 

Miss Clara Barton, Daughter of 21st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry from August, 
1862, until her death, April, 1912, and the First President of the American Red Cross Society. 

Mrs. Flora Simmons Chapin, Daughter of 21st Massachusetts Volunteer Organization 
from 1912, and Daughter of the Reverend Comrade Charles E. Simmons, of the 21st Massachu- 
setts, and President of The Woman's Relief Corps Auxiliary to The Grand Army of the 
Republic, Department of Massachusetts. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

WHERE HISTORY HAS MISSED 

This is not a history of the battle of Bull Run 2nd, but just enough taken from my 
personal experience and in a way to tell the stoiy of the birth of THE SPIRIT OF THE 
AMERICAN RED CROSS. 

A CHILD OF CIRCUMSTANCES 

Id Est 

That is, by a forced march from Manassas Junction we crossed Bull Run Creek near 
Sudley's Ford, then going on, crossing Young's Creek on a hot, dusty road, made so by the 
thousands of marching men and teams and artillery all hurrying on, for the sun was shining 
bright and the air was boiling hot, and everything wi\s thirsty, and drinking water was scarce, 
except the creeks which were fouled by fording and v»'here polluted by our crossings by an- 
imals and men. 

It was on August 29th, 1862, as we came close when we were halted by command to get 
our bearings and to close up. 

Looking about we found an open rolling country ahead of us and on our right a ridge at 
the base of which we took our first stand, for a rapid fire of musketry was heard from some dis- 
tance away out of sight in the woods, while clouds of blue smoke rose above the tree-to,3s 
showing the location. 

Artillery was rushing by on the run, horses foaming hot and with their red nostrils 
expanded funnel-like as they seemed to be reaching out to catch a better and a cooler i^reath, 
while the cannon and caissons were jumping as each one passed over some burap or lo./ i;lace. 
while the riders were lashing their horses for a greater speed and the gunners were holding 
on by their caisson side-irons or strap-holds to keep from falling off, and the dust kept stirred 
up as each passed by with perfect clouds rising with a whirl-wind curl and the clicking of the 
hoofs as the horses as they over-reached and with the axle clicks the roar of the race was on 
for there was something up as they rushed away to take their positions somewhere on the line. 

Columns of infantry fieldwards were passing by, sweating — hot, tired men, they too 
wei'e hurrying by to be soon out of sight when the musketry fire some distance ahead seemed 
to tone down as the Union troops gave way. 

Sound has a queer tone to the mind when a battle is on, for the mind reaches out to 
know what is being done, as we changed our positions ; then following up we took a position 
to the support of a line of Artillery that was parked near the Henry House Hill and soon to 



commence firing, and from the sounds and the sinolce a terrific conflict was going on in many 
places, and, by the time the Artillery in the front of us was doing their share, as in a way 
when the gap sounds of the Artillery broke in front of us, for we were standing still, gave us 
a chance to hear from the further away. 

General McDowell rode about — he was always noticeable by his peculiar white felt hat 
which he wore. While General Milroy rode about he too was noticeable by his snow-white 
head of hair. 

Back behind where we stood, one of the hospitals had been established and was in 
direct line of some of the Confederate Artillery. And the day wore slowly away and into night, 
and we lay on our arms and in line ready for action, tired and hungry and thirsty and hot, 
and with no water nearer than the creeks, we were ordered to keep awake, and as we put the 
night through, we took short walks about. 

By reliefs of the Artillery horses in the front of us taking turns to go back to drink at 
the creeks during the night, was a continuous p. ocession, unhitched harness rattling as they 
went back and came again. 

And the gruesome unrest during the night by the changing of positions about us 
seemed to tell us that on the morrow we will be called on for the best that is in us; will we 
endure? 

And when Sunday morning came, August 30th, and the long night was wearing slowly 
away and the far-distant rising sun, far in the east began to show color, gently tinged a little 
way pink, from the darkened low-down night slowly leaving night behind growing deeper 
rnd broader and higher rising up into the heavens, the morning's Sun ; what a sight of blood 
red that seemed to tell a tale untold. 

For God seemed to bring and place an angry big red ball shining through a vale of 
blood which seemed to speak from out the heavens: "1 am the Lord thy God and I shall put 
my Blood Red Cross before you this day as a new example ; and I will create a new era to 
come, as to how man shall do under me — for Vie world is full of suffering, praying to me 
and I have heard their prayers and I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on this 
earth beneath, blood and fire; vapors of smoke." 

And, while the inward murmur of each new silent thought who stood there seemed 
to cut deep into the very souls of men as they looked over the prepared fields of laying- 
down men, and with the line of cannon pointing enemywards in our front and about and as 
far as we could see. 

Troops were on the move all night — by the new arrivals tired and worn out and dirty 
from their long march, most of them having thrown away everything possible to lighten their 
load going on soon to be out of sight to take their positions on the line. 

Some of our Artillery had been captured to our left ; up the hill the pieces were gone and 
marking the place by dead men and horses left behind. 

Early columns of troops were advancing into action, and with the Artillery firing fi'om 
the various angles soon seemed to dumb the ear with their roaring sounds and the missiles 
coming over now and again seemed to at times count destruction to the Hospitals, which 
were at some angles directly in range, but fell short. 

A battery in our front — the ammunition was giving out, while one of the oflRcers rode 
first to one piece then to another, then back to their caissons when he stopped and kept look- 
ing back to the rear watching the on-coming of some six mule teams on the run, bringing up 
ammunition with an Artillery Sergeant riding alongside of one of the teams, while they 
lashed the mules to make greater speed, but they soon became exhausted and stopped not far 
from where we were; rested a bit, then tried to come on again, but the mules were winded 
and they tried to come on again and by repeated whippings, they refused to move, then began 
' to kick. 



The officer was still sitting on his horse evidentlj^ thinking of what to do when a can- 
non-ball came, stiiking his horse in the rear coming out at its breast; soon another shot 
came, striking the mules then going through the wagon, tearing it to pieces. 

Then a piece of railroad rail came over from some Confederate Battery taking out four 
of our men; Private Daniel Buckley, Jeremiah Harrington, Albert Knight and Jno. K. Parker; 
they could have seen the piece of railroad rail coming through the air wabbling about like a 
club but — they were watching the artillery officer and the ammunition wagon and the kicking 
mules. 

Looking back a column of Infantry, a long moving line with a fresh cloud of dust rising 
above then coming closer and closer they came. 

What colored fancy of some foreign military dream, dressed as Turkish Zouaves ; what 
an imi:osing sight in their red, baggy pants and short blue cut-away blouses, and their red 
fez with its long blue tassel and canvas leggings. The Fourteenth New York, the Brooklyn 
Zouaves, marching two abreast, slow time, on the lead for the rear to catch up and coming 
up to our brigade right — when the order was given by the Commandant : 

"By the right flank, Forward — March — steady on the left. Let the right swing in!" 
for they were a lai-ge regiment and perfectly drilled, and the movement was impressive and 
pretty, and they soon passed into the woods out of sight. And for a time still, save the roar 
of the battle in other directions too soon came the most terrific roar of musketry mingled with 
the sounds of cannon fire. A new corner in Hell had broken vent from a new crater, for it 
seemed to be all about the field from where we stood and all kinds of missiles were coming 
down and the horses ahead of us were receiving their share as well as the gunners who were 
parrying in full force as the field soon showed by the dead and wounded horses and men. 

For soon wounded Zouaves came back from out their hell — a new character — dressed 
like some close relation to some Turkish soldier — some were hobbling as best they could and 
some being helped for their conspicuous uniforms condemned them to suffer, and hobbling 
and bleeding men seemed to follow each other, leaving a trail of blood dripping behind, and back 
to the hospital in our rear, which, by this time was filled and the ground all about was the 
bi'st that could be given to most of them and to wait their turns for attention and in a 
hot sun, for the distress was beyond the accommodations. 

Cannon shot were shrieking over and in the direction of the Hospital, when soon a 
Blood Red Cross was seen on the south side of the tent roof taken from some unfortunate 
Zouave's uniform who may have lost their legs by the necessity of amputation or for surgical 
dressing. These markers were to designate the Hospital against the Conferedate artillery fire. 

And the Spirit of the American Red Cross was bom. 

ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF BULL RUN 2nd SUNDAY, AUGUST 30th, 1862 

A CHILD OF CIRCUMSTANCES 

The American soldier is tricksy— full of fun, and finds the funny side and feeds a 
laugh. 

For he was a very scart colored man, looking for "Kap'n Smif ;" he had a big coffee pot 
and a basket filled with grub; he had been told to go and find Captain Smith, but where he 
did not know. When one of the men asked, said: "Looking for Kap. Smif?" "Yarse, Sar, got 
his dinner an' I done no whar he ames. ' 

"Lookin' for Kap? well he just went over there, through the woods, — he had a fuss 
with a man by the name of Lee over a line fence and went over to beat him, a fellow just 
came and told us that they were Sxnashing each other and said for you to leave his grub 
with me and you to go back just as quick as you can." Then he handed his basket when soon 
the men were eating his grub and drinking his coffee, handing him some broken scrip which 
pleased him, each saymg, "I am a friend of Kap Smif," when the darkey looked up and said, 



"Peers to me Kap Smif has powe'ful many friends 'bout yere," then he started to go when a 
shell splinter hit him on the shin, then he was one of us and under our care. 

We called him old for he had enlisted through native born patriotism of the old New 
Eno-land school as a duty to his country, for he was bald-headed and bewhiskered and wore a 
run-round the circle que, which he wound round the top of his bald crown, too frequently would 
s-et out of place and hang down over one eye or over his coat collar, to be put back by a choice 
movement of his hand, for he had educated himself to do this when his head grew bald and he 
grew his que. 

He was standing still with the rest of us watching and thinking as we looked over a field 
of infantry on our left, both sides coming together with brute force battlmg for supremacy. 
While Mr W looked on, seemed to be by himself standing there with his hat m his hand so 
far as letting' others about him know ; for he was looking with intense eye, mind riveted on the 
scene as he would often shake his bald, bewhiskered head juggling his que out of place and 
down over one eye to be put back agam, when some one asked: "Mr. W., which side is going to 
lick, the Yanks or the Rebs? ' He made no answer, when the question was put again, waking 
him out of his lethargy. 

It was then we saw the real character of the man as he turned and with a haughty, 
di"-nified wav saving, "Don't speak to me that way, sir; don't use such language to me, sir; do 
vo"u know who those men are who are battling fearlessly, where brave strong men is best seen? 
Let me tell you sir, those are America's sons, the very best men, but I am sorry to say a 
divided family but they will come together again after they settle their differences; they are 
the best men that ever lived, and neither side can ever whip the other only by exhaustion and 
then let them rest a bit and they will come back and fight harder than ever. But you cannot 
whip those men, sir, for they are the best-bred men of my country, sir, and I wish you so to 
understand." 

When bv this time our left seemed to be in an indescribable fury as the volleys burst 
out in an incessant roar, when the order came to strip ourselves of everything except our 
a ms ammunition, canteens and haversacks, and to double quick to their support, passing 
down the angle over dead and wounded men and the debris of the battlefield. We soon got 
fnto place to meet the next charge after their rally ; but this was not our day tor losses ; later, 
nn =;ppt 1st the second day awav, our losses were 38 men killed and 76 wounded and 26 cap- 
tured out of 400 men; this was k privileged day to us to look on and be a support to the weak 
spots. 

And the charge came with terrific force that seemed to make the very earth tremble 
from the trimp ot f?et Td the roar of cannon, but we held the ground, for the 21st Massa- 
chusetts was only a small factor among the many, for the Contederates were the assaulting 
foice tiyino- to turn our left, but our left was well anchored on the defense and m a wood, 
'nd the Confederate's right wing was short of covering, and, as our countrynien gave way 
^ d went back there to hear the cries and moans and prayers in heir distress, their sufferings 
^cer (d to libuke you in the guilty part we had taken in the killing and maiming of my 
Sntrvmen and our minds seemed to reflect back to the Hospital care under the Blood Red 
ao s tl" t we hod seen on its birth bed tent roof during the afternoon and the memory of 
Uc tally I'ising^^ s™ of the morning, seemingly to shine through a veil of Wood to td a 
«o 1 t-^le to many an unfortunate my countryman to fall this day on the battlefield ot Bull 
Run 2nd and as the cruel red of the evening sun went down shmmg through a veil of pow- 
del smoke uVon a field of dying, suffering men like ghouls, we stood about watching and 
listening, but not helping. 

Then ieavina- the field in the darkened night, walking over der.d and wounded men, re- 
tre.tino^ bacl^^ Sn- thc^^i to work out their own salvation by the torce of circumstances 



skull, for there were dead men near and lying about, who had died from wounds and ex- 
haustion. 

They were tired-out surgeons working at amputations and operating dressings to relieve 
suffering men with all the strength and skill of cool, bi'ave men. But what a mass of wound- 
ed men — a midnight dark, poorly lighted, a Red Inferno from candle light and wood fires for 
light, for as soon as one was operated on another took his place and the one to be taken 
moaning and suffering back and laid down in the open field on the ground unattended until 
such time as was possible to do so. Sui-gery, it takes men of strong nerves and with good light 
to work on live, suffering, struggling men, for the fields had not been emptied and those sur- 
geons were fighting a battle of endurance where only the strong could endure, but their duty 
was before them and they could not retreat neither could they rest, and near each operating 
bench were amputated legs and arms and with the usual taken off clothing in a heap and the 
Red uniforms of the 14th New York, the Brooklyn Zouaves, some pieces colored deeper red 
f)y the blood of its victim was there: telhng a ghostly tale of the inferno that they had passed 
thi'ough and some of the pieces which some of us took as souvenirs, tieing a strip around our 
left arm in honor of the occasion, dedicating ourselves as members in the spirit of the AMER- 
ICAN RED CROSS, which at that time we knew nothing of, but was an inspiration in its 
foundation. 

And the Birthstone of August is the Sardonyx; Motto, Plan and Act, And the Lucky 
Day IS Sundav AND THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS WAS BORN ON THE 
BATTLEFIELD OF BULL RUN 2nd, SUNDAY, AUGUST 30th, 1862. 

The day after the Battle of Antietam found us camped back on the high ground back 
of the battlefield. There had been made a roadway through the battlefield by pulling the dead 
and debris, each half way to open a roadway — dead men and animals, disabled cannons, and 
caissons and broken wheels and arms and munitions. The debris of the battlefield were strewn 
thickly about. 

The day was extremely hot and the scent from the mangled and putrefying dead, and 
with their staring, black, dead eyes seemed hard to bear their look and smell, for the sun 
seemed to shine a pink red through a dismal void, while high above, near the cloud line, was 
a flock of carrion birds circling around and around, called there by their scent for a feast. 

A tall man, a priest chaplain, was seen walking slowly away some distance ahead. In 
his left hand he held a book, falling over its back hung a cross ; so, too, on top of each shoulder 
he wore a cross. His face wore a week's growth of beard; his face and hands were grimed 
with dirt ; his stock was grey with soil and his coat was torn — giving the sign of the cross to 
the dead to his right, then to the left. His lips were seen to move and his voice in a mono- 
tone. We moved slowly, a solemn slow, amid silence save the tread of men coming to the 
point where we turned away from the bridge (Burnside Bridge). The silence was broken 
when a voice said : "Follow that priest and he will lead you across the bridge and out of Hell." 

And this is the spirit of the American Red Cross. 




IN HOC SIGNO VINCES 

BY THIS SIGN WE SHALL CONQUER 

By caring for and binding up the wounds of the unfortunate and extending reUef to 
the sick and distressed, and by the hands who are always faithful. 

PLAN AND ACT 

AND UNDER THE SIGN OF THE CROSS 

FOR ALL THE WORLD LOVES A MOTHER 

HER SYMPATHY TO SOOTHE AND CARE 

THE SPIRIT OF THE 

AMERICAN RED CROSS 

The author carried a musket as a private and fought at the Battles of Roanoke Island, 
Newbern, Camden, Bull Run 2nd, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, 
Blane's Cross Roads, Campbell Station, Siege of Knoxville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court 
House, North Anna, Shady Grove Road, and was wounded at Cold Harbor on June 2nd. I had 
no bones broken or artery severed; a shell splinter passed through my leg but I was crushed 
by dirt and logs falling on me from a hastily made breast work by a shell explosion . . . 
coming to in a midnight with moans from the dark places about me; later I found myself 
outside a field hospital lying among hundreds of other wounded men lying about on the ground 
waiting for my turn. 

Surgeons were at work, sleeves rolled up, bloody and soiled like a butcher, with a rough 
knife, saw and steel and forcep snips, etc., the kind to scare. Water had to be brought from 
a distant slough, first used for slopping the tools then to wash off" the bloody board. Old 
wood buckets were the receptacles for water and the ground around the board was wet and 
muddy, to be moved to a dry place from time to time, and all things dirty and with the vic- 
tnns black, dirty and sour and sweaty, and their clothes filled with vermin and sufl'ering with 
diarrhoea, and in an intense summer heat with a pile of arms and legs and old clothes and 
swarms of flies, and in the stench the work went on and it was a lucky man who received any 
attention whatsoever as this was the flowing-in point — for many of the wounded who could 
take care of themselves and followed up their commands to give out. 

At the cross roads for relief, I lay under a small tree, for my wound was slight in com- 
parison to so many others of the dreadful — looking over the scene. No one was put under 
the influence of an opiate neither were their wounds washed before or after amputation. 

In the place of opiates was used the double cross to hold the patient down to keep the 
live patient still for the surgeons to do their work by four attending men, two standing at the 
head, one on each side and crossing the victim's arms across his breast, then reaching by the 
men standing to the opposite side, top of the shoulder, then laying their arms down and 
across the breast and throat, holding the patient in a vice-like grip. If he struggled, they 
bore down and choked the patient still for the surgeon to do his work. Hence the oft-time 
expression, "They gave me the double cross." 

The surgeons amputated, with a square flap caught up the arteries and the steward 
sewed the flap, and closed the wound, then taken off' the board for another to take his place ; 
'twas a force of circumstances over which the surgeon or victim held no control. Ambu- 
lances were coming and going, takmg away the worst cases, while six mule teams drove 
aljout and loaded up the less-severely wounded, and drove away. 

He was a tall, finely built handsome fellow with red curly hair now black from dirt, 
face black from the long march and powder smoke, but he had the face and form of a gladiator 
— square jaw and chin, high cheek bones and a good bump behind the ears and a high, well 
built head. 

He hurriedly entered the tent where the surgeons were at work, his left arm at the 
elbow nearly severed and with a withe tightly bound to hold back the bleeding, had no hat 
and only part of a shirt, covered with blood, and swarms of flies chasing him. 



The surgeon had told him to go back and wait for his turn — coming to where I was, for 
I was under a small tree, where I could see; saying to me, "They tell me I must wait for me 
turn so I will wait by you," then looking up giving the sign of the cross, (the spirit of the 
American Red Cross) then turning around and looking, said: "See what they are doing? Did 
you see that heap there of legs and arms?" in a broad Irish accent, then saying looking up 
"towards heaven, again giving the sign of the cross, (the spirit of the American Red Cross) 
"By the powers of heaven, sir, I can see everything in that heap but a head!" 

Lying about all day, wound swollen and turning black and the next day, arm amputated, 
and lying out in the open on the ground, too far gone to again rally. 

He used to say "Half way is enough, go slow when you get near the bad," so we called 
hirii the half-way nian; used to say he was just half-way from bein"- a big man; for he was 
m:.de up of beauty, half-way man and half-way girl ; had a charming voice and pretty smile ; 
said he was just half-way fvo.n being a good singer and with a specialty of trills and 
lullabies, toned sweetly into prayer the kind that sleep seemed to creep in delight listening 
smiling sort of pulled the eye lids down and curtain the soul in pe:.co, dic;.r.is charmed, fo^- 
all kept quiet as a distant twilight in a far away sort of way ; winged visio.is seeing pretty 
things for goblins got away when John D. Reynolds, the half-way ni ..n scat his cong trills 
bound round with pretty prayer words. 

Then he would send a sweet missive to Mother, then to Father, then to Brothers and 
Sisters at the old home, and he would open the windows and call the i-obins and the larks 
and the whippoorwills and tell them to come in and sing each their own peculiar trills, all 
sitting round the board filled with good things, garnished with cheery laughter, and he 
would do it all himself while all kept quiet as the blest ; when he had spilled his overflow all 
were sound asleep. 

It was on May 31st at Shady Grove Road, Jack and I stood in line just before the sun 
went down. The Infantry was quiet but the Artillery, those hell-bred cannon banged and 
gave no mercy, for they kept hell stirred up, when a shell came down and with a terrific 
burst, and poor Jack seemed to jump then to fall. I started to pick him up and as I turned 
him over I found that the front of his pants and shirt were gone and his warm blood had 
wet my hand, could feel the soft of his bowels, when Jack said : "John, no half-way this 
time, I fear." For, as we examined him wc found the front of his belly torn open but his 
bowels seemed not to be punctured. Then to ease his pain he began to sing, a lullaby prayer, 
then saying, "Take me to a Surgeon to sew me up; I want to live." Four of us carefully 
picked him up and carried him back until we found a field hospital, where all about were 
wounded men. We finally got the attention of a surgeon, who hastily examined him saying, 
"Take him away, too manj^ others to care for; he has but a slim chance to live; cai'ry him 
back out of the way." I was detailed to stay until they came back and I sat beside poor Jack 
doing all I could, which was nothing save to keep company, and the spirit of the American Red 
Cross at midnight seemed to come through the brush by a priest coming out of the lonely. 
He stopped and listened, then came close and put his hand on Jack's head, said a short prayer, 
i:nd with the cross in his hand disappeared, the spirit of the American Red Cross. The dark, 
underlying, shadowed from the light of the moon and with dead men lying about, their ghoul- 
ish grin, the spectered horror imbedded deep in my fear. There I stood and witnessed his 
sufferings as he tried to relieve his suff"eiings by song and prayer, his well-woven words end- 
ing each verse with: 

Let my dying prayer be said in song, "Great God, my King," and as he grew weaker 
toning down his voice like the trills of so.ne Aeolian harp moved by each fresh zephyr- 
thought, wrapped in lullabies, the beauty of the most sacred mellowed down weaker, and as 
the morning sun came Jack seemed to waken up and said: "Good bye, John, there is no half- 
way this time ;" then his voice trilled lower and lower down to silence. JOHN D. REYNOLDS 
was dead. 

I stood for a time and cried as freely as boys do when things hurt most; alone among 
the dead, then covering his face with an old coat I ran away, for I was alone, passing dead 
men all about as I went. 

"Fur-lined," we called Felix McDermitt. He was first Lieut. — one of the kind that was 
there every time, for he would often expose the red hair at his bosom while marching with 



his shirt front open, to be pulled by some one in a jest saying, "Fur-lined, maybe you've got a 
squirrel hid ; better cover up his tail." 

The boys said Felix's whiskers started at the top at his crown and ended on the muscles 
of his toes, but Felix was full of laughter-— one of the jolly fellows that we all loved and would 
say didn't cost him more for a shave than the rest of you. 

Felix could never be kept from off the front line and got wounded at the Wilderness — 
shot through his wrist, said the hospital was full, there was no room for him, so he would stay 
and let us take care of him, didn't care to change his boarding house. Ten days at Spottsylvania 
Felix tried his luck again and got wounded in the Temple. Then his head swelled up, said he 
was putting on flesh but didn't think it improved his looks a bit. No place to go for me, 
the hospital, they are turning away applicants. 

At Cold Harbor Felix tried his luck again, this time he got shot through the leg, then 
said, "I need patching and I am going away for repairs," and the last seen he was gomg 
away in a six mule team for the steamboat landing. 

I was finally picked up and put aboard a six mule wagon, for I could not walk, and taken 
to the steamboat landing, over a rough road, there unloaded among thousands of others, for 
this was the rallying pomt of an army of wounded men, in an open field. The heat was 
torrid and with nothing to eat and only a drink of water by a carrier who had only a sip to 
give us and this from a nearby slough. Then loaded on a steamer lying at the pier, wound 
still undressed. REMORSE 

We grant you; though some commanding man may conquer and make a noted hero 

of himself by the acts of other men. 
When by neglect to the unfortunate those by whom they conquered by to leave them 

to suff'er on the field and to die. 
For on beyond in their time the curse did come to his crime passed upon his life by 

suffering, praying men. 
For far from around his sickening solitude he heard the tappings of their crossbones 

upon their empty skulls and saw their ghastly grin. 

American-born man is raised, educated to help, aid and assist— and men could have 
been given to care for and give the Surgeons a chance. 

Will you allow such things to be repeated? This is another age and the best Sur- 
geons —young men from the very best schools graduated, and with well-seated lucrative 
practices! have thrown aside all money considerations and gone forth to serve their country 
the greatest missionaries in the Spirit of the American Red Cross. Stand back of them and 
give them your able support-for we are a Republic, the people s pemocracy and friend and 
fircome to us and our Surgeons are among our chief actors and under the spirit of the 
American Red Cross. ,. , u 

Was taken to Harwood Hospital, Washington, there to Castle Garden, New York Har- 
bor then to Knight's General Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut. There the soiled bandages 
taken off of othirs' wounds were renovated and used over again and where I contracted a 
contLZs d sease The Hospitals so crowded that the order came to send every man home 
that was Ible and had a home to go to. The customary way was to give a furlough. Then 
taken to the New Haven Railroad with many others and started for my home to be cared for 
Iw the train men- taken off at Springfield, Massachusetts, on account of my delimim and 
taken t^rSoE-'s rest near the Massasoit House, to be attended to by volunteer City Sur- 
geons and the charitv-care of the good public school teachers, the spirit of the America^i 
Red Cioss NurSe of which Clara Barton, the daughter of the 21st Massachusetts Regiment 
wis a school teacher before she became a nurse, and was the first President of the American 
Sed Cross) and others who located my Father, who came and took me home as soon as I 
was able to be moved. i. , , 

Tt is wise for us to recur to the history of our ancestors. Those who do not look 
upon themsdves as a"hnk connecting the pasl with the future, do not perform their duty 
to the world. 



REMEMBER 

HE WHO HAS SEEN AND ENDURED 

KNOWS BEST 

Remember there is some poor fellow that's wounded, sick, down and out, helpless, holds no 
control over himself, 

And away from home and in a foreign land and in a delirium ; reckless wrecker of his mind. 

For in his wandering mind he keeps a calling, keeps a thinking, keeps a praying to his God 
above him. 

Eyes a staring, and looking up to the stars above him, calling for a Saviour's care;— I pray 
thee hear my prayer! 

Remember there is some one's Father, some o.ie's Son or Brother; some one's Son, that is 
doing duty for you, 

Pause and think and hear him speaking, crying out, for God's sake help me, as you told me 
you would do. 

While our God keeps up his commanding to you ; send your Red Cross Surgeons, and with 
your Red Cross havens, 

And bring along the Red Cross nurses, they that will extend a Saviour's care. 

Remember the spirit of the American Red Crojs stands under an arch of steel, which our 
swords and bayonets now form. 

Crowned keyed with our flag — resting on the foundr.tion of Liberty, Justice and Independ- 
ence, carrying in their hands charity, 

Sir Knight of the whole world as our Allies, stepping oflf with you, left foot forward. 

No power will stop you save God, he who leads you in defense of all things just. 

Remember and do not forget the names of our allies who are battling with my countrymen 
in a foreign land ; they- are my countrymen 

My flag under whose folds our sons stand by arid look up to with my countrymen, some to win 
and some to die. 

For once their fathers, some wore the blue and some wore the gray, but now they stand to- 
gether as one, my country and my countrymen. 

And they will fight anew with their sons, the foreign Huns as many as may come with those 
who fought with us when we were young, 

And we will stand upon the graves of our dead and defend their fair name, we the living unto 
my country's honored dead. 

Remember as a Citizen living in the smooth charm of a peaceful contentment and far 
away from war's turmoil and strife, and while we ai'e basking in the quietude of no re- 
sponsibility, — we should not forget our men, and with those who are battling for us, and with 
the repeated strewn fields from hard fought contests with death, sickness and distress. Let 
us protect them by those who are plain, and act. Now kindly give and make your answer to 
some poor fellow's oft-repeated prayer and in the name and the spirit of the 

AMERICAN RED CROSS 



I 



AMERICA'S SONS 
Brave and True 

Follow Their Flag and Our Country's Flag Bearers 



Copyrighted 



Follow our flag and you follow a fellow 

True to our country's cause you follow 

No flag can travel without a bearer. 

Amei'ica's sons brave and true 

Follow their flag and our country's flag bearers. 

Midst storms and billows deep 

Midst hurricane's blasts that sweep 

Midst fire and smoke and battle shot — 

America's sons brave and true 

Follow their flag and our country's flag bearers. 

When midst storms or battle shot 

But for one moment our country's flag may fall 

America's sons ever hail, to sacrifice their all 

To place again our country's flag 

On topmost mast head strong 

America's sons brave and true 

Follow their flag and our country's flag bearers. 

At home — abroad — in distant lands — on distant seas 

Good laws — good deeds — good acts most please 

To God above and all people see 

America's sons brave and true 

Follow their flag and our country's flag beai'ers. 

America's sons brave and true 

Follow their flag and our country's flag bearers 

And never falter where duty calls them 

In defense of country — home — kindred and our God 

America's sons brave and true 

Follow their flag and our country's flag bearers. 

Nathaniel Carter Deane 
September 14th, li)()9. 



OUR FLAG 

THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE 

IS UNFURLED 

UP ON TOP 

OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD 



Copyrighted Jan. 29, 1912 



Let me tell you this story that's true — 

Our Flag-, the red, white and blue is unfurled 

Midst the endless white winters of snow ; 

America's sons there they did go 

To put our flag on top at the pole— 

Our Flag, the red, white and blue there they unfurled 

Up on top! of the Whole Wide World. 

Past arc tic's icy mountains 
With the zeros far below. 
Where every life's in danger 
Midst the drifting storms of snow- 
Bring back the joyful tidings: 
Our Flag's up on top at the pole — 
Up on top! of the Whole Wide World. 

Let me tell you this story that's true— 

Our Flag, the red, white and blue is unfurled 

Where all longitudes meet at the pole ; 

America's sons there they did go 

To put our flag up on top at the pole — 

Our P'lag, the red, white and blue there they unfurled 

Up on top! of the Whole Wide World. 

Step by step the zero reaching 
With the zeros far below. 
Where every life's in danger 
Midst drifting storms of snow — 
Bring back the joyful tidings: 
Our Flag's up on top at the pole — 
Up on top! of the Whole Wide World. 

Nathaniel Carter Deane. 



*^^ 




NATHANIEL CARTER DEANE. 
1918 







.♦^"V 
y ^ 



.^'\ 



-^^0^ 





:r > 



■•'\^^ 










^^-^^^ 




-^ax* 






■^;W-/ \:W'-/ vW-\-* \/W*/ % --W--,.** ' 
C\/ -^Xo^' .'^Xv*^ •^Xo^'' .'^ %/-^ 




